The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of almond tree (Prunus Amygdalus) that has been given the varietal name xe2x80x98Bluegum.xe2x80x99
The original plant of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety was discovered as a chance seedling of unknown parentage growing within a cultivated area of one of the inventor""s farm located at 6201 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto, Calif. During the non-bearing years of the seedling, the inventors protected it from the normal orchard practice of removing volunteer seedlings. As the original seedling tree reached reproductive maturity, the inventors noted its novel bloom date, excellent shell seal, and pleasant flavor and marked it for subsequent observation.
It is horticulturally understood that it is necessary to provide cross-pollination of almond trees since most commercially acceptable almond cultivars are not self-fertile. It is commonly acknowledged that the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety (an unpatented well known variety of almond tree) of almond tree is a difficult variety to pollinate and produces more consistent crops when it has two pollinating varieties. Furthermore, the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety performs best when its bloom dates are bracketed by two separate pollinator varieties. Both the original tree and the progeny trees of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety have been observed to provide pollination on the early side of that combination. Additionally, the original tree of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety has been shown to be a compatible with the later blooming pollinator variety known as xe2x80x98Carmelxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,641), and the progeny trees have been shown to be compatible with the later blooming pollinator variety known as xe2x80x98Fritzxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,005).
Equally important is almond nut quality and market acceptance. Almonds produced by the original tree of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety are ripe for commercial harvesting just following almonds produced by the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety but before almomds produced by the xe2x80x98Carmelxe2x80x99 variety, thereby providing harvest separation of plants if the different varieties are planted in adjoining rows. Almonds produced by the original tree of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety are noteworthy in that they have a good shell seal thereby providing some natural insect protection. Additionally, the nut kernel of original tree of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety is of high quality, providing excellent mild to sweet flavor and the nuts from the original tree have been found to fit into the commercially recognized xe2x80x9cCaliforniaxe2x80x9d category.
More specifically, both the original tree and the progeny trees of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety have been observed to bloom approximately 2 days earlier in the season than the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety. Furthermore, nuts from the original tree have been observed to mature for harvesting approximately 10 days after the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety, under the same environmental conditions prevailing in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. The original tree and the progeny trees of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety have been observed to produce nuts in volumes equal to, or greater than the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety, while concurrently enhancing crops produced by the xe2x80x98Nonpareilxe2x80x99 variety. The original tree of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety of almond tree also has a harvest date which is approximately 10 days ahead of the xe2x80x98Carmelxe2x80x99 variety of almond tree. The observations pertaining to nut flavor and characteristics are drawn from the original tree and are expected to carry over to the asexually propagated progeny.
The first asexual reproduction of the newly discovered variety was performed by budding in 1998 at the direction of the inventors at Driver Nursery, Inc. in Modesto, Calif. Test trees resulting from this budding were planted in two geographically diverse test orchards in Modesto, Calif. and Kern County, Calif., respectively, for further observation. The flowering characteristics, pollination characteristics, and other characteristics of the new variety have been confirmed to exist in these two-year old asexually propagated progeny, except that mature harvestable nuts have yet to be collected from the progeny. The inventors have continually monitored the development of the progeny trees and expect that the nut characteristics of the asexually propagated progeny will be the same as those of the original tree of the xe2x80x98Bluegumxe2x80x99 variety.